Random cars we like

PaceBeast

MINI Paceman SD – Coming to The Beastie Stable

Our MINI Cooper S Clubman fondly named ClubBeast has done well over 5 years of sterling service for us and has clocked up over 68000 miles in the process. We have enjoyed many fantastic adventures with him including several European tours, including an epic Pyrenees adventure in 2009, the last French Weekender in Normandy in 2009, The Le Mans Classic in 2012, and the Paris Motor Show again in 2012. He began to take a back seat by the end of 2012 with the arrival of SilverBeast our JCW MINI Coupé who replaced CooperBeast who went to Peanut’s daughter, The Elf.

A new clutch and gearbox early in ClubBeast’s life did not bode well for ongoing reliability and this year we knew we had to make a tough decision as another clutch is needed soon. We had liked the MINI Paceman from the minute we saw the concept car. With our JCW MINI Coupé, it was a different case, it was love on site of the concept, followed by an underwhelming sense of disappointment at the actual launch, to a full on love affair from the minute we saw the JCW spoiler for the Coupé. The Coupé in all honesty has been a joy to own and drive from the day we drove it away from the dealership and without doubt it has been a key factor in helping us renew our MINI love. So when it came to making the tough decision to swap out ClubBeast, we knew it was to be a Paceman, as we had liked the car from first sight and continued to like it ever since. Last year my boss at work bought a JCW Paceman and that has taunted me on a daily basis in the works car park ever since. But when we discussed which Paceman, we decided that with two fast cars in the stable already, was yet another what we needed? Would it perhaps be too similar to the JCW MINI Coupé? We decided that a fast car was not needed and that perhaps for once we should enjoy a bit of fuel economy. So a Paceman SD was decided upon. We had already driven the SD engine at MINI United in the South of France back in 2012 and we felt that the two litre block felt right in the chunkier Pacemans and Countrymans. The launch of the new Blazing red colour also opened new possiblities and suddenly we were inspired to recreate the look of our first ever MINI our MINI Cooper on a 52 plate in chili red with a white roof.

So that was that and we placed an order for a new Paceman SD in blazing red with a white roof. we were careful with the options list and omitted the roof bars as CooperBeast never had these and similarly we deliberately omitted the tinted rear glass as again this was not on CooperBeast. We also did not opt for the black headlights as agin CooperBeast never carried these. We have added spots lights, because CooperBeast has these and we will be adding the white A-panels with MINI Cooper laurels as per the styling of CooperBeast and of course he will wear the GP style roof numbers that all our cars have carried. White bonnets stripes were ordered too, because again CooperBeast has them. Like CooperBeast he will come on silver alloys and just like CooperBeast these will be changed out for white wheels. This should see the Paceman, having clearly recognisable style cues from the looks of our original generation one new MINI. Signing the deal then, as in the photo above was an exciting moment.

So the countdown begins as we wait for him to be built. Meanwhile his name had to be considered. Well PaceBeast was the obvious choice and indeed we will use this name as the title for the car’s very own blog here on AutoBeast, as the name points at the model of the car. However, as the Paceman is an homage to our first MINI – CooperBeast – it was felt by the naming panel (Peanut, The Elf, Fandango and Me, Mr Beastie) that his name should somehow connect to CooperBeast. Well the Paceman is CooperBeast, only bigger, so there you have it, his name is BiggaBeast!

The story of how BiggaBeast has come to be is told and all is left is to list the full specification.